


Tell Me Something

by JediMaster_Jen



Category: A Star Is Born (2018) RPF, Lady Gaga (Musician), Real Person Fiction
Genre: Angst, Drama, F/M, Romance, Sex, True Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-15
Updated: 2019-06-25
Packaged: 2019-11-18 09:32:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18118079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JediMaster_Jen/pseuds/JediMaster_Jen
Summary: It's been building between them for nearly three years. Now, Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga can no longer ignore the attraction and passion between them.





	1. Confessions

**Author's Note:**

> Clearly, this is a work of total fiction. Bradley Cooper is involved with his longtime girlfriend and appears to be very happy with her and their daughter. 
> 
> No disrespect is meant to either Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper or Irina Shayk in the writing of this story.

**Title:** Tell Me Something

 **Summary:** Co-stars can no longer ignore their attraction and passion.

 

**///////////////**

 

**Chapter One-Confessions**

**Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA.**  
**February 24, 2019**  
**The Dolby Theatre**

 

He knew it was over now. He watched her walk towards the exit of the theatre; her sister and security guards in tow. He wanted to reach out, to say something, to let his fingers brush hers just once more. But he didn’t, couldn’t. He’d had damn near three years from their first meeting to the moment he was standing in and he’d never once said a word about how he felt.

“You’re staring again,” Irina spoke sharply.

Bradley managed to steal his gaze away from Stefani’s retreating form long enough to face his girlfriend of four years.

“Let’s just get the hell out of here,” he whispered softly. “I’m not in the mood for an argument with you. We still have to make an appearance at the Warner Brothers after-party.”

Irina grabbed her handbag and stalked towards the exit while Bradley cast one more gaze upon the stage. He could still see her eyes, so beautiful as they kept hold of his as he began their song. He could still feel her breath when their mouths were only inches apart as they sang the last notes cheek to cheek.

He ran a hand through his hair before following his girlfriend out to their waiting car. He wasn’t really looking forward to the after-party, but knew once it was done, he could start to find a way to move on; to let her and his feelings for her go. Maybe.

 

**///////////////**

 

**Warner Brothers Studios Oscar After-Party**  
**San Vicente Bungalows**

 

Knowing Irina was angry and upset with him, he’d asked their driver to drop him at the party and then take Irina home. He knew she’d be happier at home with their daughter than having to spend another minute with him and a bunch of stuffy studio execs.

Now, he was standing alone with a bottle of water in his hand talking to a few of the studio execs when he felt a hand gently touch his shoulder. He instinctively turned and was surprised and extremely pleased when he saw Stefani standing there.

“Hey,” he managed to choke out. “Nice trophy you got there.”

She laughed as she stepped closer and their arms automatically went around each other. It was a pose they’d perfected on the press tour and at premiers for their film.

“Where’s Irina?” she questioned as the man Bradley had been conversing with excused himself to let the co-stars chat.

Bradley shrugged, not really wanting to talk about his girlfriend.

“Ah, she’s at home,” he did finally reveal. “Didn’t want to hang out here.”

Wanting desperately to question him further, but not wanting to upset him, she let it go and smiled up at him.

“Great night, wasn’t it?” she asked softly as he led her to the couch to their right.

Bradley nodded. “It was. I was…I am _so_ proud of you.”

The pair continued to chat for close to two hours; neither ever noticing the photos of them being taken as they sat just a little too close and let their fingers touch just a little too long.

 

**///////////////**

 

“I should probably…” she started.

“Do you want to…?” he began.

They both laughed.

Bradley took her hand in his, his thumb caressing her knuckles. “Do you…would you like to get out of here?”

Stefani understood what he was asking. Maybe they were both going to stop ignoring what was between them. Maybe, after nearly three years, they were finally going to give in.

“Sure,” she answered. “You got some place in mind?”

He nodded and stood abruptly. “Give me ten minutes. I’ll be right back.”

 

**///////////////**

 

Exactly ten minutes later, Bradley was back and leading her by the hand through the throngs of people still partying to the back exit of the ballroom. Once they were outside, Bradley wasted no time in pushing her against the stucco wall and pressing the entire length of his body to hers.

“I should have done this the moment we met,” he whispered as he leaned down and they shared their first kiss that was just them. Jackson Maine and Ally Maine no longer existed, but Bradley and Stefani did.

At the first touch of his lips, hers parted and his tongue swept inside, tasting and stroking every corner of her mouth. She couldn’t help but wrap her arms around Bradley’s neck, her fingers tangling in the soft strands of his hair.

Their tongues continued to tangle together as his hands made their way from her waist to her ass. He gripped her tightly and pulled her pelvis against his, letting her feel his ever-increasing desire for her.

She pulled away from the kiss then, her breathing ragged. She rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Anyone could come out here and see us,” she told him quietly. “I don’t think either one of us needs that.”

“What I _need_ , is _you_ ,” he insisted. “I’m tired of pretending you don’t mean anything to me. I’m tired of telling people we’re just friends. I’m…I’m gonna go crazy if…if we can’t…”

Stefani pushed him away from her and took a deep breath. “Brad, we…we _are_ just friends. You have a family. What about Irina? What about your daughter? Doesn’t Lea deserve to grow up with both of her parents?”

Bradley ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. “She deserves to grow up with parents who are happy.”

He tried to move closer to her again, but she brushed past him, telling him goodbye as she headed back inside.

He was momentarily stunned that she was walking away from him. He just stood there, unable to make his feet move. When he finally could, he dashed after her, having come to a decision in his mind.

Stefani was waiting for her coat when she felt Bradley’s arms snake around her waist. He pulled her back against his chest and leaned down.

“I’m not letting you go,” he whispered in her ear. “You can fight this all you want, but you can’t fool me. You want me as much as I want you.”

With tears in her eyes, she turned around and gave him a watery smile. “Yes, I want you. I do. But I refuse to break up a family. Go home, Bradley. Forget about…”

He leaned down and again pressed his lips to hers, effectively ending her objections. He no longer cared who might see them. He just wanted her in his arms.

When he finally pulled away, he had tears in his eyes as well. He held her beautiful face in his hands as he spoke.

“I’m going home, and when I get there, I’m telling Irina that it’s over between us,” he said softly. “She’s known for a while that I’m not happy. She knows, or at least suspects that I…that I fell in love with you on that set. Maybe I fell in love with you even before that.”

“You can’t do this to your daughter,” she said again.

“Lea will be fine,” Bradley insisted. “Like I said before, she deserves to have parents who are happy, whether they’re together or not.”

He could see Stefani’s resolve melting. He very much wanted to lean down and kiss her again or take her hand in his but he could see photographers out of the corner of his eye and he decided he really didn’t want photos of them in any compromising positions out in the world before he ended things with Irina.

Stefani stepped back when she spotted them as well.

“Have a good night,” Bradley told her as he helped her slip on her coat when the attendant finally reappeared with it. “I’ll text you tomorrow.”

She nodded and they shared a quick, friendly hug as she then turned and exited the ballroom to her waiting car. He watched her go, wondering when the time would come that they would leave these events together hand in hand; arm in arm.

Half an hour later, Bradley left as well, heading home to face what he was sure would be one of the hardest conversations he’d ever had. But he was anxious to get it done and over with.

 

**///////////////**

 

Bradley arrived home to a dark and quiet house. It was nearly two-thirty in the morning. He kicked off his shoes and stalked down the hallway towards his daughter’s room. He smiled when he saw her sound asleep in her crib, her stuffed elephant tucked in beside her.

He walked over to the crib and gently reached down and rubbed her back. Tears gathered in his eyes as he thought about all the things he wanted her life to be and then about what he knew her life would be instead.

“Daddy will always love you, baby girl,” he whispered into the darkness to the slumbering child. “Mommy and I will both always love you, no matter what. I promise you that.”

He leaned down and kissed her soft blonde head and then walked across the hall to the bedroom he normally shared with Irina. He could see her buried under the covers sound asleep. Instead of waking her, he grabbed a blanket and pillow and headed to the family room.

He tossed the blanket and pillow onto the couch, stripped out of his shirt, pants and socks and laid down on the couch. He pulled the blanket over his tired body and was asleep within minutes.

 

**///////////////**

 

Bradley was dreaming when he felt soft fingertips moving across his chest and equally soft lips trailing kisses down his neck.

“Mmm, Stefani,” he sighed her name.

Irina jerked back as if she’d been doused with ice cold water when she heard the other woman’s name. The sudden move awoke Bradley as well. Irina was just standing up when Bradley realized what he’d just said.

He sat up with the blanket still draped across his lower body. He started to speak but was stopped by Irina.

“What time did you get home?” she demanded.

“Close to two-thirty,” he answered. “I…I didn’t want to wake you up so I slept out here.”

Irina laughed humorlessly and shook her head. “Oh, of course you didn’t want to wake me up. What you didn’t want was for me to smell her perfume all over you. That party ended at one in the morning. It didn’t take you an hour and a half to get home. Did you _fuck_ her before you came home?”

“No, I didn’t!” he yelled.

“The why do you…?” she started before he interrupted.

“But, I kissed her,” he revealed. “Look, Irina, I can’t keep…I can’t keep doing this. Things have to change.”

“Doing what?” she questioned. “What things? What are you talking about?”

Bradley stood then and pulled his pants from the night before back on. He retook his seat and brushed his hands over his bearded face and then ran his fingers through his hair.

“I kissed Stefani last night at the after-party,” he said again.

Irina sat down across from him, tears welling in her eyes. “Why?”

As much as he didn’t want to hurt her, Bradley knew he had to give her the truth. He cleared his throat before he spoke.

“I kissed her…because I’m in love with her,” he told her. “I fell in love with her and I…I just can’t keep lying anymore, not to you, or her or…or to myself. I can’t keep living a lie.”

“You _bastard_!” Irina spat at him as her palm connected with his cheek. “You _promised_ me you’d always be here, with me, with _us_. You swore we’d be a family. You _insisted_ there was nothing going on between the two of you.”

He looked up and met her eyes, his cheek burning from the slap. “There wasn’t. Last night was the…the first time we’d even kissed each other as…as _us_.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” she asked sarcastically with her tears now streaming down her face. “You’ve been fawning over her for three years now, ever since you two met. You may not have kissed her before last night, but you’ve wanted to for way longer than that.”

Bradley knew she was right. He’d wanted to kiss Stefani and do much more with her for a long time. He’d managed to keep it professional, physically at least until the night before. But emotionally, he’d been cheating on his girlfriend for close to three years.

“You’re right,” he admitted. “I…I fell in love with her. I didn’t mean for it to happen. I didn’t…I guess I knew it would though.”

“So, what now?” Irina asked as she wiped her eyes. “I don’t know if…if I can forgive you for this. I know you won’t be seeing her anymore, but…”

He took a deep breath and interrupted her. “I’m not…I’m not asking you to forgive me, Irina. I’m so sorry for hurting you like this. This was never…never how I wanted this to go. I can’t be here anymore, Irina. I can’t keep pretending this is where I want to be.”

“What are you saying?” she asked as he bent down to pick up his shirt, holding it in his hands before dropping it on the couch.

He met her eyes and saw the deep pain he had caused. He saw the uncertainty and the hurt and the anger reflected at him. He saw a woman he deeply cared for and loved. He saw the mother of his child. But he no longer saw the woman he was in love with.

“I’m saying that…I can’t be with you anymore,” he admitted. “I want…I need to be with her, with Stefani.”

Irina couldn’t hold in the tears any longer. The cascaded down her cheeks in a river of pain and anger. She clenched her fists and finally managed to look at him again.

“Then go,” she managed in a tiny voice barely above a whisper. “Go to your _precious_ Stefani. I’m sure she’s waiting for you.”

Bradley headed down the hall towards the bedroom where he packed a duffel bag and changed clothes quickly and was back in the family room in fifteen minutes. Irina was sitting on the couch clutching his discarded shirt, holding it to her face as she cried.

“What about Lea?” she wanted to know.

He dropped his bag and knelt in front of his now-former girlfriend. He dared to reach out and take her hands in his.

“We’ll work something out,” he said. “Custody, or whatever. I’ll have my…my attorney call yours.”

She scoffed and wiped her tears once more. “So, that’s what is left between us; lawyers. Just get the fuck out of here. I don’t want to see you anymore. Go see your daughter before you leave.”

Bradley did just that. He walked into her room and saw that she was still sleeping. It was still very early; before seven in the morning. As he’d done the night before, he leaned down and kissed his little girl, promising he’d see her soon. He snapped a picture with his phone before he walked out.

Irina was standing by the front door.

“I’m sorry,” he said to her.

Irina just shook her head. “I really don’t think you are.”

She slammed the door behind him as he headed for his motorcycle sitting in the driveway. She watched as he slung the duffel across his body, donned his sunglasses and helmet and then sent a text on his phone.

Within moments, he’d started the bike and was headed out. Irina was left in a pool of tears as she watched the love of her life leave her; headed for another woman.


	2. Giving In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter contains explicit material. If you are under 18, please leave now.

** Chapter Two-Giving In **

****

///////////////

 

Stefani had been awake for half an hour when Bradley’s text came through to her phone.

 

  _Irina and I are over. On my way to your place. Love, B._

 

She couldn’t stop the smile that crossed her face. Nor could she deny what she felt for him; had felt for him from the beginning. He made her smile. He made her laugh. He made her heart beat faster. He made her feel like a giddy teenager again.

 

Noticing that she had been daydreaming about him for close to twenty minutes, she ran inside to make herself presentable. She knew he loved how she looked with very little, even with no makeup on at all so she decided to just wash her face, brush her teeth and put her long blonde tresses up into a ponytail.

 

Next she pulled on a pair of ripped skinny jeans and a bright red V-neck t-shirt. When she was all finished, she looked at herself in the mirror in her bedroom.

 

“You look good, girl,” she whispered to herself as she glanced at the clock.

 

It had been thirty minutes since she’d received his text. She knew he’d be there very soon. He had her gate code, so she wasn’t worried about him getting in. But she was worried about what came next for them both.

 

She’d never told anyone, but the reason she’d ended her engagements to both Taylor Kinney and Christian Carino was because of Bradley and her feelings for him. She’d loved both men, but ultimately knew it wasn’t fair to either of them to let them keep believing they could have a life together when she knew it just wasn’t true. Her heart belonged to Bradley. It had from nearly the first moment they met.

 

Pulling her from her musings was the sound of the doorbell. She took a deep breath and walked calmly down the stairs and opened the door.

 

Bradley stood there with his sunglasses still hiding his beautiful blue eyes; wearing tight black jeans, white t-shirt beneath his Ducati leather jacket and black boots. He had helmet hair and the beard covering his cheeks made him look as sexy as she’d ever seen him look in the three years she’d known him.

 

He whipped off his sunglasses and smiled. “Can I come in?”

 

Breaking out of her trace, she nodded and stepped aside. “Of course you can.”

 

It was as he walked past her that she noticed the duffel bag slung over his shoulder.

 

_Does he mean to stay here? With me? Oh, my God._

She shook those thoughts away and closed the door behind him. It had barely shut when Bradley had dropped the bag and glasses on the floor and was pressing her against the door. He lowered his head and their lips met in a fiery kiss. They were both all lips and tongues as their hands roamed over each other.

 

Stefani pulled away first, her hands pushing against his solid chest.

 

“We need to talk,” she whispered breathlessly.

 

Nodding his head, Bradley stepped back and tried to compose himself. He ran his hands through his messy hair and took a deep breath.

 

“You’re right,” he admitted. “We do.”

 

She grabbed his hand and led him into the livingroom. They sat down together and Bradley kept ahold of her hand; his thumb gently stroking the back of her hand.

 

“What happened with Irina?” she questioned in a low voice.

 

He sat back and blew out a deep sigh. “It was…about what I expected. She was angry and…and hurt. I made it worse than it might have been by…”

 

“By what?” she asked when he didn’t keep talking.

 

While not at all embarrassed by what brought on his slip of the tongue that morning, he did regret the hurt it had caused Irina. Hurting her had never been his intention.

 

“I slept on the couch last night,” he led with. “I was having this…incredible dream when I felt someone’s hands and lips on me. I…um…kind of called out…maybe _moaned_ out your name.”

 

Her green eyes widened in surprise. “Oh…well it’s…”

 

Bradley chuckled. “It was a good dream. But, obviously Irina wasn’t pleased. I told her I couldn’t keep living a lie. I said that I couldn’t keep pretending that being with her was where I wanted to be.”

 

Stefani’s gaze had drifted down to their joined hands. She was deep in thought when his fingers lifted her chin so their eyes met.

 

“I told her I was…I _am_ in love with you,” he nearly whispered.

 

Tears gathered in her eyes at his words. She’d known it of course. He’d said as much last night, but she’d also seen it in his eyes time and time again over the years they’d known each other. She’d felt it in the clinch of his fingers when they’d shared red carpets for press and premiers. She’d felt it in the way he hugged her so tightly after an emotional scene on set.

 

“I…I love you, too,” she sobbed out, finally giving voice to feelings she’d worked so hard to keep hidden for so long.

 

“Thank God,” he gasped out. “I was…afraid that…”

 

She cupped his handsome face in her hands and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. “Don’t be afraid. I do love you, Brad, but…what happens now?”

 

He shook his head. “What do you mean?”

 

She stood and began pacing. “The moment the paparazzi get pictures of us together, you know what will happen. What does that mean for us? For Irina and Lea? We have to think about these things.”

 

He reached out and grasped her hand in his, stopping her pacing. “Listen to me, I…I don’t have all the answers. At least, not right now. I told Irina I was going to have my lawyer call hers so we can establish a custody agreement for Lea. Beyond that, and beyond wanting to be with you, I don’t know what comes next.”

 

“I feel so horrible for Lea that she’s…she’s gonna grow up in a broken family,” Stefani said so softly he almost didn’t hear her words.

 

He shook his head. “She’s not, Stef. Like I told you before, she’s going to grow up with two parents who love her; parents who are happy. That’s what will be best for her. She doesn’t deserve to grow up with parents who are miserable together.”

 

Stefani met his eyes with her own. “You know Irina isn’t miserable with you.”

 

He shrugged and scratched lightly at his beard. “Well, I was miserable with her, and I refuse to stay that way. I want to be with the woman who has completely captured my heart and set my soul on fire. _You._ ”

 

Her heart melted at that moment and once again she felt tears gather in her eyes. No man had ever made her feel as loved and cherished as Bradley. She stepped closer to him and she felt his arms wrap around her waist. He leaned forward and rested his head against her belly. Her hands ran through his hair, messing it up even further.

 

He pulled back and pressed a soft kiss against her stomach before looking up into her eyes. His hands on her hips dragged her even closer until she had no choice but to fall onto his lap, her legs straddling his hips.

 

“That’s better,” he whispered as he caressed her back.

 

Stefani smiled as she leaned forward and kissed him. His hands slipped down her back to her hips, pulling her closer still; lower bodies molding together. Their mouths opened at the same time, tongues wrapping around each other. Bradley’s hands moved from her hips to her face. He titled her head to deepen the kiss.

 

Stefani unconsciously began grinding her center against his arousal. Bradley let out a deep groan as he pulled his lips from hers and trailed kisses across her face and down to her neck.

 

Stefani leaned back giving him better access. He kissed his way across her collar bone before dipping lower and lightly brushing his lips across the swell of her breasts.

 

Stefani was enjoying his attention when suddenly Bradley shifted his hands to the backs of her thighs and stood up. On instinct, Stefani wrapped her legs around his waist as their lips crashed together again.

 

“Bedroom,” she whispered between kisses.

 

He kept his eyes open while he kissed her so he could traverse the staircase without falling on the way to her bedroom. She gave quiet directions and soon Bradley was standing at the foot of her large king-sized bed. He let go of her thighs and let her slowly slide down his aroused body. They were both breathing hard and fast, their emotions and hormones both running on high. Bradley pulled her back into his arms and placed a gentle kiss atop her blonde head. Her arms had snaked their way around his waist and her head was rested against his chest.

 

“We don’t have to do this if you’re not ready yet,” he told her quietly, sensing slight hesitation on her part.

 

She looked up at him meeting his intense blue gaze. “Why would you say that?”

 

He smiled and ran a finger down her cheek. “I want you to be comfortable. I’m not that guy, Stef. This isn’t about sex for me. I mean, it _is,_ but it’s not _just_ about sex. It’s about being together, being in love. It’s about just spending time together, laughing and having fun. I want to be with you, to make love to you, but I want you to be sure that’s what you want, too. These feelings we have for each other, they’re raw and powerful and maybe we…”

 

She interrupted him with a kiss. “I know what I want, Brad, and it’s _you._ I want all those things. I want to be with you, too; for us to make love with each other. I _am_ comfortable. I’ve never been as comfortable with a man before as I am with you.”

 

Bradley grinned. “Good.”

 

She giggled a little as she reached down and whipped her shirt over her head and tossed it across the room. Bradley followed suit; his t-shirt landing near hers. His hands immediately ran down her back where he unhooked her lacy red bra.

 

“You’re so beautiful,” he said as he bent down and lifted her again, this time crushing her bare breasts to him. He could feel her hardening nipples brushing through his chest hair.

 

A deep groan left his throat at the feeling as he knelt on the bed and tossed her down playfully. They both laughed as Bradley slowly crawled towards her. Her legs automatically fell open as he lowered his body atop hers.

 

She pulled his head down, connecting their lips as their bare chests crushed together. While slipping his tongue into her mouth, Bradley brought his right hand up to her breast, his fingers pinching her nipple. As she gasped in pleasure, he pulled his mouth from hers and trailed his lips down to her nipple, his touch light feeling so good on her sensitive skin. He licked lightly, before blowing across it, making her shiver.

 

“Oh, that feel so good,” she moaned out as he closed his lips over her nipple and sucked it hard into his hot mouth.

 

Her hands fisted in his hair and he felt her back arch and her hips crash into his. He smiled as he kissed his way to her other breast and gave her nipple the same treatment.

 

Stefani was awash in sensation and pleasure just from Bradley’s hands and mouth on her breasts. She couldn’t even imagine what it was going to feel like when he was inside her.

 

But she was going to find out.

 

He squirmed when he felt Stefani’s small hands caress his manhood through the fabric of his jeans. He grunted as he involuntarily thrust is hips into her hands.

 

“Take these off,” she commanded in a harsh whisper.

 

He chuckled. “You first, babe.”

 

She pushed him away and reached down to unbutton her pants at the same time as he quickly stripped off his boots, socks, jeans and boxer-briefs. He tossed his clothes aside, as did Stefani. Her eyes took in his muscled body. He was a beautiful man. She took in his handsome, bearded face, his broad shoulders, muscular chest with it’s smattering of dark hair which trailed down his abdomen past his belly button to the part of him she was nost curious about.

 

Bradley could feel her eyes on him; checking him out. He certainly didn’t mind. He was discreetly doing the same to her. He loved her face; beautiful green eyes, minimal makeup, gorgeous mouth that begged to be kissed. He loved her dyed-blonde hair, all messy from his fingers running through it. He adored her body; toned arms, amazing breasts that were firm and sat high on her frame, beautiful abs which led to a tiny waist, hips that flared slightly. He even loved her tattoos. His eyes had just drifted lower when he heard her intake of breath; almost a gasp.

 

He lifted his eyes and was met with the sight of Stefani staring at his cock and licking her lips. He wasn’t sure she even knew she was doing it.

 

“See something you like?” he asked mischievously as he climbed back onto the bed and stalked towards her.

 

She swallowed hard and nodded. “You’re…big. I think…I just realized hos big you are, in general, compared to me.”

 

He laughed softly and leaned down and placed a whisper of a kiss on her pouty lips.

 

“I’m not really that big,” he told her. “You’re just pretty small. I promise I won’t hurt you.”

 

“I _know_ that,” she insisted. “I never doubted that.”

 

He leaned down and kissed her as he ran his fingers down between her breasts and across her belly to his ultimate destination. She opened her legs for him and cried out when his fingers reached her sensitive clit. He rubbed his thumb across it once, twice; drawing more pleasurable cries from his lover.

 

He pressed a kiss to her neck before she felt his teeth lightly bite her earlobe. His breath felt amazing against her neck.

 

“You’re so fucking wet, Stef,” he whispered to her. “Is that all for me, honey?”

 

Stefani clenched her eyes shut when Bradley slowly pushed a finger inside her, coaxing even more wetness from her. She pursed her lips and managed to nod.

 

“All for you,” she groaned out as he added a second finger; still keeping his thumb lightly massaging her clit.

 

He gently thrust his fingers inside her as he lavished her face and neck with warm, open-mouthed kisses. He could feel her muscles begin to clench around his thrusting fingers and he knew she was close to her climax. He increased the speed of his fingers and pressed hard against her clit.

 

Stefani gripped Bradley’s bicep and bit her lip as she felt herself begin to fall over the edge. She was nearly there. She just needed a little bit more.

 

Bradley bent his dark head down and sucked her turgid nipple into his warm mouth. He grazed it with his teeth before sucking hard.

 

“Oh, God…oh…Brad…” she called, followed by a string of curses as she ame apart under his hands and mouth, her orgasm crashing over her body; falling apart and coming back together all at once.

 

Bradley continued to stroke her body softly as she came down from her powerful orgasm. He kissed her lips gently as he carefully pulled his fingers from her body.

 

“That was…you were amazing,” he told her. “So fucking beautiful when you come.”

 

Stefani pulled his head down and they shared a deep kiss filled with emotion. Bradley moved then, falling between her open thighs, his cock rubbing against her, nestling against her entrance. He was aching to bury himself inside her but had the presence of mind to pull back from her lips long enough to ask an important question.

 

“Do I need to…oh, you feel so good,” he moaned out in the middle of the question he was trying to ask. “Condom?”

 

She raised her hips, legs wrapping around his waist. “No. Pill.”

 

He reached between them and grasped his cock in his hand a guided himself to her opening, pushing forward until he slipped inside her.

 

“Brad…oh, fuck,” Stefani moaned as he steadily but gently pushed his body into hers until he was fully inside her.

 

He stopped moving, giving her time to adjust to his size. Despite his earlier words, he knew he was slightly above average in size and she was quite tiny. He could hardly believe he was finally making love to the woman who’d captured his heart from the first moment they’d met.

 

His eyes had fallen shut but opened when he felt Stefani’s hands running along his back. He gasped when he felt her grip his ass and try to pull him into her deeper.

 

“You can move, baby,” she said to him, craning her neck to press kisses to his neck and upper chest.

 

Bradley lowered his body against hers and began moving, pulling out slowly before thrusting back inside her hot, tight body. All that could be heard in the room were the low moans of ecstasy from the two lovers.

 

Stefani had never felt as loved and protected as she did with Bradley. Normally, she didn’t enjoy being so surrounded by her lovers, but with him, it only felt wonderous. His hands and his lips were everywhere; her lips, her neck, her breasts. He was everywhere; both around her and inside her.

 

“Harder, Brad,” she gasped, her hands trying desperately to pull him as close as possible.

 

Knowing he was close to his own release, Bradley began to thrust harder and faster into her willing body. His left hand found its way between them and he pressed a finger hard against her clit.

 

“Brad!” she called his name as she came. “Oh, Brad, yeah. Oh…right there, baby.”

 

The feel of her hot channel squeezing him so tightly as she came set off his own release.

 

“Fuck, baby,” he groaned out as he slammed into her one last time, driving his cock as hard inside her as he could manage as he came deep inside her flushed body.

 

They were both breathing heavily as they tried to calm down from their orgasms. Not wanting to squash Stefani beneath him, Bradley tried to pull out so he could move off of her but was stopped by her legs tightening around his hips and her arms pulling him down against her.

 

“Don’t leave me yet,” she whispered. “You feel so amazing.”

 

Bradley groaned in renewed pleasure when he felt her muscles still spasming around him. She felt wonderful but he knew he was heavy and she had to be uncomfortable with his full weight resting atop her small frame.

 

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he said softly, kissing her lips tenderly.

 

“Nothing you did hurt me,” she told him, gently running her hands up and down his sweaty back.

 

He smiled and they shared several slow kisses before he did finally pull out and rolled onto his back next to her. In that same motion, he pulled her with him to rest across his chest. Her hand came to rest over his still fast-beating heart. When she shivered, Bradley quickly got up and pulled the comforter and sheets down. He made sure she was covered before he climbed back into bed and pulled her to him, wrapping both of their cooling bodies in a cocoon of warmth and bliss.

 

He kissed her forehead. “We should get some sleep. It’s still early. You wore me out.”

 

She laughed as she pressed a kiss to his chest. “Sounds good to me.”

 

Making sure she was as close to him as possible, he closed his eyes. He felt her snuggle closer and throw her leg over his hips.

 

“Love you,” she murmured as she lost the battle to stay awake.

 

“I love you, too,” he whispered back as he too fell into a relaxed sleep.


	3. What Comes Next

**Chapter Three-What Comes Next**

**///////////////**

 

 

Stefani was awakened by someone talking. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Bradley sitting on the edge of the bed talking quietly on his cell phone.

 

“Yeah, that’s fine,” he said. “Jesus, Max, we didn’t have a long drawn out conversation. I told her I fell in love with someone else and wanted to break up. End of story.”

 

Stefani could hear the frustration in his voice. She sat up and reached out and rubbed his bare back gently, knowing her touch would calm him down.

 

He turned when he felt her hands on him. He smiled at her and held up a finger.

 

“Hang on a sec, Max,” he said into the phone.

 

She watched him mute the phone and toss it aside as he scooted over to her.

 

“Good morning,” he said softly, tenderly touching her face.

 

Stefani leaned forward and kissed him, her arm going around his neck so she could tangle her fingers in his hair.

 

Bradley ran his hand from her face down across her upper chest until his palm closed gently over her bare breast, his thumb brushing her nipple.

 

She couldn’t help the moan that escaped her mouth. She pulled her lips from his and smiled brightly at her lover.

 

“Didn’t you get enough earlier?” she asked with a grin.

 

“I’ll never get enough of you,” he said as he leaned forward again for another kiss.

 

She kissed him again quickly before laying back down and pulling the sheet back over her chest.

 

“Who’re you talking to?” she asked.

 

“Shit,” he exclaimed with a laugh. “It’s Max, my lawyer. You made me forget that he was still on the phone.”

 

She giggled as he picked the phone back up and spoke.

 

Look, Max, I gotta go,” he told the other man. “Yeah, draw it up that way; every Thursday, Friday and every other weekend. We can alternate holidays and I want four weeks in the summer.”

 

Stefani sighed as he hung up a few minutes later. She felt so bad for little Lea.

 

“I know that sound,” Bradley said as he laid back down beside her, resting his head on the pillow right next to hers. “Stop feeling guilty.”

 

Laying on her side facing him, she spoke. “I can’t help it. I have…everything I want and Lea is…”

 

Bradley rolled onto his back and pulled her over on top of him, their nude bodies pressed together.

 

“Lea will be just fine,” he reiterated. “But, Irina…she’s a different story. If I know her, she’s going to want money. Lots of it.”

 

Stefani rested her chin on his chest, their eyes meeting. “You think so? She’ll be that…vindictive?”

 

He nodded, his hands resting on her bare back; fingers lightly running up and down her spine.

 

“Of course,” he answered. “She’s got my kid, and a lifestyle she’s become accustomed to. I expect that she’ll want me to make sure she gets to keep it. I’ll give her whatever she wants for Lea. I’ll provide for my daughter, but…the rest is just gonna piss me off.”

 

She was quiet at first, so many thoughts running through her head concerning his ex and their child. “I wish you weren’t having to go through any of this.”

 

Bradley held her tight against his chest. “It’s a very small price to pay to have you. I love you, Stef.”

 

She pressed a kiss to his chest above his heart. “I love you, too.”

 

After several quiet moments, she spoke again. “So, what’s next?”

 

He cleared his throat. “Well, I woke up about an hour ago and wrote out a statement addressing the end of mine and Irina’s relationship. I’m gonna have to go over there later and see if she and I can agree on it so I can fax it to my publicist.”

 

“You gonna come back here when you’re done?” she asked flirtatiously, sitting up and straddling his hips.

 

He nodded, a little distracted by the sight of her bare body on display. “I’d planned on it, unless you don’t want me to. I can…”

 

Stefani leaned down and gave him a soft peck on his lips. “I want you to come back here. To me.”

 

He smiled. “I’ll always come back to you. That’s a promise. I need to get showered. So far, while you were still asleep, I’ve spoken to my agent, my publicist and my lawyer. Next call is my mother.”

 

Stefani frowned. “Is she gonna hate me for…?”

 

He stopped her mid-sentence with a finger to her lips. “You know my mother adores you. She also already knows how I feel about you.”

 

Stefani was surprised. “She does?”

 

He nodded as he began to run his hands gently along her bare thighs. He felt her move her hips against his and he let out a small groan.

 

“Yeah, she’s known since…oh, babe, you gotta stop that,” he managed to get out as she moved against his growing erection.

 

Stefani laughed. “She’s known since when?”

 

He put his hands on her hips to still her movements so he could concentrate on talking to her.

 

“Since I told her how I felt,” he revealed. “It wasn’t too long after we finished filming. She told me I was…that I was crazy if I didn’t go after you; didn’t tell you how I felt.”

 

Stefani was shocked. She’d met Bradley’s mother and sister on a few occasions during filming and she adored them both. They had gotten along well, and Gloria and Holly had become good friends. But she’d had no idea that Bradley had ever talked to his mother about her.

 

While lost in thought over that information, she had unconsciously begun stroking her hand along Bradley’s hardened shaft.

 

“Mmm, that feels so good, baby,” he sighed, loving the feel of her hand on him.

 

“Why would you tell…?” she started to ask.

 

“Can we please not talk about my mother while you’ve got my dick in your hand?” he asked, biting his lip to keep from moaning.

 

Stefani laughed at the absolute absurdity of the situation. She was jerking him off while sitting on his lap and she kept asking him about his mother. She laughed loudly again before leaning down and kissing him.

 

“Should we change the subject, or…?” she asked teasingly, her fingernails very lightly scratching him.

 

He let a chuckle. “Or? Just a suggestion; you could use more than your hand.”

 

She smiled and got up on her knees, her hand guiding him inside her for the second time that morning. She bit her lip as she slowly slid onto him. He wasn’t a small man in any sense of the word, so taking it slow was key for her, and he felt even bigger in this new position than he had hours before.

 

Stefani moaned deeply as she continued to slide down on him. His hands were on her hips guiding her; trying desperately not to slam into like he wanted to, lest he hurt her.

 

She leaned forward, pressing her chest into his and changing the angle of his penetration until he was finally fully inside her. They both moaned in pleasure at the sensations they were feeling.

 

“Fuck me,” she whispered against his lips.

 

Bradley couldn’t remember ever being as turned on as he was at that moment with his lover begging him to fuck her. He kissed her softly as he ran his hands down her back to her ass, squeezing hard as he thrust up into her.

 

Stefani cried out in pleasure as he began thrusting into her hard and fast, stealing her breath and robbing himself of his own. His hands were gripping her so tightly she could barely even move her hips. She leaned forward as he bent his knees, placing his feet flat on the mattress; giving himself more leverage to thrust harder and deeper.

 

“Oh, fuck, Brad,” she moaned out.

 

Bradley lifted his head and took her nipple into his mouth, first biting before soothing it with his tongue as he sucked lightly. He continued to drive into her, his hands now roaming her back and ass as they moved together.

 

“Shit, babe, you’re so…so fuckin’ tight like this,” he groaned out. “I’m not…oh, God…gonna last long.”

 

Stefani had fisted her hands in his hair, moaning nearly constantly as she tried to meet his quick thrusts, while feeling his hands and mouth all over her body. He was driving her crazy with desire and pleasure. She could feel the tingle in her body signaling the beginning of her orgasm. She was about to reach down between them when she felt his thumb and forefinger pinch her clit hard at the same time as he slammed into her hot channel one last time.

 

“Brad!” she yelled as she came; waves of pleasure flowing through her body.

 

“Oh, Stef,” Bradley’s husky voice cried out at the same time as he came inside her willing body.

 

Stefani collapsed against his chest, their hearts racing and their breathing ragged.

 

“Oh, my God,” she whispered, unable to speak louder. “That was…”

 

Bradley laughed as he hugged her body to his with one arm and used the other to pull the sheet up over their cooling bodies.

 

 “Yeah,” he agreed. “Wow. I think…I might be a little…too old for this.”

 

She laughed. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d laughed so much in bed with a man, if she’d ever done it at all. It certainly wasn’t with Taylor or Christian. But Bradley made her feel safe enough to just be herself.

 

She slowly lifted her hips, both moaning at the loss of him inside her as he slipped out of her body. He pulled her against him as he had earlier, cradling her tightly against his side.

 

“I love that you’re a cuddler,” she said softly as she looked up at him.

 

He smiled as they moved at the same time, sharing a tender kiss. He brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear as they savored each other’s lips.

 

“I can’t remember the last time I…that I felt this content,” he told her when they pulled apart.

 

He brushed away a few tears that fell after his words.

 

“I didn’t mean to make you cry,” he whispered.

 

Stefani shook her head. “I don’t know why I’m crying. You make me…no man has ever told me felt…content with me.”

 

“Stupid men you’ve been with before,” he commented as he pulled her closer. “I’m content, and happy, and…so in love.”

 

She kissed his chest. “I love you, too, and for the record, I don’t think you’re too old for this.”

 

He smiled. “Well, we’ll see. In addition to not remembering the last time I felt contentment like this, I also don’t remember the last time I had sex twice in one morning in just a few hours. Maybe in my twenties.”

 

She looked up at him, surprise evident on her face. “Really?”

 

He nodded. “Yeah, really. I’m forty-four years old, baby. Definitely past my sexual peak, but you…fuck, I get a hard-on just looking at you sometimes.”

 

Stefani blushed at his words and hid her face against his chest.

 

“It’s not just that you’re beautiful, either,” he told her. “It’s…the whole package that is you. It’s your kindness and your sass, your spunk and your sarcasm and the fact that you’re so genuine with me. It’s your smile and your voice that you share so effortlessly. It’s just… _you_.”

 

“I love you,” she gasped through fresh tears.

 

Bradley rolled onto his side and brought their bodies flush against each other. He lifted Stefani’s leg to rest over his hip so they were touching everywhere, no space between them at all.

 

“Please don’t cry, honey,” he said as he peppered her face with tender kisses; first her forehead, then both eyelids, her cheeks and finally her soft lips. “I didn’t tell you all that to make you cry.”

 

She sniffled a little before wiping hey eyes. “I just…I wonder if I was ever… _truly_ ever actually loved before. This feels… _you_ feel so different. I feel safe and protected and just…so fucking _loved_ with you.”

 

He kissed her lips again. “You are loved; so incredibly loved by me. Those other guys, all of them, especially Kinney and Carino…they were idiots. They didn’t deserve you and I couldn’t stand either one of them.”

 

She smiled as she brushed her fingers through his hair.

 

“You were always nice to them both,” she commented. “Why couldn’t you stand them?”

 

“They had you,” he revealed easily. “They could touch you, hold your hand, kiss you, make love to you. I didn’t like them, and I was jealous.”

 

“No more jealous than I was of Irina,” she told him. “Same reasons. She had you and she had… _has_ your child. Hard to compete with that.”

 

“You don’t have to compete,” he said. “You never did. I think…that we were destined to meet and fall in love. Nothing was ever going to stop this… _us_ from happening. We’re…”

 

“Soulmates,” she finished.

 

He nodded and leaned forward for a deep kiss.

 

“I have to get going,” he said after pulling out of the kiss. “I wanna get this press release done and…and talk to Irina about Lea.”

 

Stefani pulled away from him as he stood up. She unabashedly admired his naked body as he headed to her large en suite bathroom for a shower.

 

///////////////

 

An hour later, Bradley was ready to go. He’d changed into gray jeans, a navy-blue pullover sweater and his gray Nike high top sneakers. He’d also shaved the beard he’d had for _A Star Is Born._ Now he was back to his normal scruff.

 

“Looking pretty sexy there, Coop,” Stefani said when he came into the kitchen.

 

He smiled. “I was getting tired of the beard.”

 

“So long as you don’t do completely clean-shaven, I’m good,” she commented as she went to hug him.

 

“You like the scruff, huh?” he teased as they stood in each other’s arms.

 

“I like the way it feels against my skin,” she said with a nod.

 

He smirked. “Good to know.”

 

He kissed her twice quickly and told her he’d be back as soon as he could. He turned to leave, but then stopped and turned back.

 

“Oh, and how would you feel about going out to dinner with me tonight?” he questioned as he picked up his helmet and keys.

 

“Where?”

 

“Giorgio Baldi,” was his easy answer.

 

It was a favorite Italian place of theirs in Santa Monica. They’d both been there separately and together back when they were still talking about her co-starring with him.

 

She smiled. “Sounds good. Listen, I’m going to call Bobby and…tell him about this so he has a heads up on…what to expect.”

 

Bradley nodded. “Yeah, and give him Matt’s name and number, too. Here.”

 

He wrote down his publicists’ name and phone number for her.

 

“I’ll let Matt know to expect a call from Bobby,” he said before stealing one more kiss before heading out.

 

///////////////

 

Irina heard the motorcycle pull into the driveway and she went to open the front door; Lea in her arms.

 

Bradley was just walking up when he heard his daughter.

 

“Dada!” the toddler yelled as she squirmed from her mother’s arms and ran as fast as her little legs would carry her towards her father.

 

Bradley grinned at his baby girl. He scooped her up as she reached him and placed a tender kiss on the child’s forehead.

 

“Hi, Munchkin,” he said. “Daddy missed you this morning.”

 

Lea chatted away in her adorable toddler voice as Bradley approached Irina.

 

“I didn’t expect you back,” she said harshly. “I figured you’d be warming _her_ bed all day.”

 

He tried to remember he had his daughter in his arms and that Irina was very hurt and angry and lashing out. He was immensely thankful that he was there alone. He couldn’t imagine the venom Irina would direct at Stefani had she been there as well.

 

“I thought maybe we could talk,” he suggested.

 

She stepped aside so he could enter the home they’d shared just twenty-four hours earlier. He set Lea down and watched her walk to the corner of the livingroom to go back to playing with her toys. Then he and Irina went into the kitchen and sat down at the breakfast bar where they could both still see their daughter.

 

“Why are you here?” she demanded.

 

He sighed. “Look, I’m sorry for the way I handled everything this morning. I could have…I’m sorry I hurt you.”

 

“Sorry enough to…to come home?” she asked softly, reaching across the table to take his hand. “Sorry enough to not destroy our family?”

 

She had her answer quickly when Bradley pulled his hand away from hers.

 

He shook his head. “No. I…Irina, I meant what I said this morning. I wish I had delivered it with a little more tact, but all of it was the truth. I don’t want to be together anymore.”

 

Tears gathered in her eyes. “You really love her?”

 

“I really do,” he admitted softly.

 

“Then why are you here?” she asked again. “I think you pretty much said everything this morning.”

 

He reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out the statement he’d written and handed it to her.

 

“I wanted to get your approval before I send it to Matt so he can release it,” he said as he stood and went to the cabinet and pulled out two coffee cups.

 

She read it while he made them each a cup.

 

_Irina Shayk and I have mutually agreed to end our romantic relationship after nearly four years together. We ask that you respect our privacy as we navigate this difficult time and strive to continue to provide a loving, safe and stable life for our daughter._

“What do you think?” he asked as he handed her the coffee and leaned against the sink to drink his.

 

Irina was quiet for a few minutes and he was getting worried when she finally spoke.

 

“At least you didn’t refer to it as a conscious uncoupling,” she snickered.

 

Bradley laughed. “Yeah. I…I just thought we should keep it as direct and simple as possible.”

 

She looked up at him. “We? As if I had any sort of say in this. _You_ decided that you love someone else. _You_ decided you didn’t want us to be together anymore. _You_ wrote out this statement. When do _I_ get a say?”

 

Bradley sighed and put his cup down and sat back down next to Irina. He could see tears in her eyes and he felt horrible.

 

“You’re right, I’m sorry,” he apologized. “I haven’t been very fair about any of this, have I? It must seem to you like it’s completely out of the blue.”

 

Irina wiped her tears and shrugged. “I’ve known for a while we weren’t…connecting anymore. I saw how you looked at her from the beginning. But I never thought…I didn’t expect us to be over because of it.”

 

He reached over and rested his hand on hers. “I truly never meant to hurt you. I thought I could…I thought Stef and I could ignore our feelings. I thought they’d go away, that it was just an infatuation. But…instead we…”

 

“You fell in love,” she said bitterly.

 

He was quiet then, not knowing what else to say. He couldn’t help his feelings, but he did hate hurting Irina.

 

Irina stood and took her coffee cup to the sink and set it down heavily.

 

“The statement is fine,” she finally said. “But, there are things I’m going to want.”

 

He nodded. “Yeah, I figured. What do you want?”

 

She turned to face him. “I have no problem sharing custody of Lea. You’re her father and she needs you. As for me, since we’re not married, you have no legal obligation to give me anything. However, as the mother of your child, I think child support and a monthly…contribution to make sure I am able to maintain the lifestyle to which I’ve become accustomed isn’t out of the question.”

 

He snickered. There was the Irina he knew.

 

“How much money do you want?” he asked.

 

Irina smiled. “For Lea, let’s say $5,000 a month. For me, $25,000.”

 

Bradley laughed out loud. “You’re crazy if you think I’m giving you $25,000 a month to go shopping. You’ll hear from my lawyer.”

 

He stood then and turned to leave when she called out.

 

“Okay, fine. $15,000,” she offered.

 

“No,” he snapped at her, his Italian temper beginning to flare. “Oh, and I need to know when you’re moving out.”

 

Irina was stunned. “Why would I move out?”

 

“This isn’t your house, Irina,” he snapped again. “It’s mine. As I recall, you have your own house not too far from here.”

 

She smirked. “Oh, I see. You want to move your _whore_ in here so your child and I have to leave.”

 

Never in his life had Bradley ever wanted to hit a woman, but at that moment, he could have. He stepped closer to her so they were toe to toe. His blue eyes flashed in anger; more anger than he could ever remember feeling.

 

“If you ever…” he began in a low growl, his voice very nearly shaking in rage.

 

Irina lifted her hands in surrender. “I’m sorry. That was…cruel and uncalled for. I’m…sorry. This is…you were right earlier. This is out of the blue for me. I loved you. I _still_ love you and…I never expected this. We were good together.”

 

Trying to quell his anger and see things from her point of view, he stepped back. He ran his shaking hands through his hair.

 

“I don’t want to fight with you,” he said. “I want to make a very hard situation as easy as possible for all of us. I want our daughter to be taken care of and to always feel loved, by both of us; by everyone in her life. I…she can’t see us fight like this, Irina. She can’t _ever_ see us like this. If we’re going to co-parent effectively and give her the love she needs, we have to find a way to put everything else aside for her sake.”

 

Irina nodded. “I know. Can we sit down next week with our lawyers? We can come to an agreement on everything, especially Lea. I meant what I said; she needs you in her life. Formal custody can be arranged, but you can see her whenever you want.”

 

He smiled gratefully. “Thank you. Look, if you want to stay here, I can…”

 

“No, it’s okay,” she told him. “I think moving back to my place is actually the right thing to do. Lea will get used to it and when she’s with you, she’ll be comfortable here.”

 

“Dada!” Lea yelled from the entrance of the kitchen.

 

Bradley turned to her. His entire face lit up around his little girl. While he may not be in love with Irina any longer, he would always love her for giving him the best thing in his life; his baby girl.

 

“What’s up, Sweetpea?” he asked as he picked her up.

 

“Come pway wif me?” she asked.

 

He chuckled. “Sure, baby, I’ve got a few minutes.”

 

Irina watched him carry her back to her toys. He sat down on the floor with her and they played with her dolls for a bit. Irina knew he was such a good father. He put Lea first; always.

 

“You can take her with you if you want, when you leave,” she said as she entered the room and sat down with them.

 

He met her eyes. “I’d like that. You know I’m going to…”

 

“To Stefani’s, yeah, I know,” she said quietly. “She’s going to be in your life which means she’s going to be in Lea’s life, too. Like you said, she needs to feel loved by everyone in her life. That has to include your…your new girlfriend.”

 

He reached out and took her hand. “When you meet someone new, and you will, I promise, it’ll include him, too.”

 

A few tears fell down her cheeks. “Might be a while. You’re a hard act to follow, Bradley Cooper.”

 

He smiled gently and stood then. He pulled out his cell phone and sent Stefani a quick text.

 

_Raincheck on Giorgio Baldi? I’m bringing a little visitor back with me. Pizza? Chinese?_

He put his phone back in his pocket. “Can you pack some clothes for her? I’ll bring her home in the morning.”

 

Irina nodded as she took Lea into her room to let her pick some pajamas and clothes for the next day. Irina put everything else Bradley would need into Lea’s tiny duffel as well as a diaper bag.

 

Bradley went outside and moved his motorcycle into the garage and then made sure the Mercedes had the car seat ready to go.

 

Irina stepped into the garage with Lea’s pink duffel and diaper bag over her shoulder and the small child in her arms. She put the bags into the car and handed her baby to him.

 

He got her settled quickly and shut the back door. He turned to look at Irina and smiled somewhat sadly. He again reached out and took her hand in his.

 

“You were right, you know,” he started. “When you said we were good together. We were, in the beginning. I know we loved each other. But, sometimes…”

 

She squeezed his hand. “Sometimes things just don’t work out. Things change. People change, too.”

 

He nodded. Irina let go of his hand and placed a soft kiss on his cheek.

 

“Be happy,” she told him.

 

“You, too,” he said back as he climbed into the SUV and started it.

 

She watched as he backed down the driveway and pulled away. She let the tears that had once again gathered fall down her cheeks in waves. Watching him drive our of her life twice in one day was more than she could take. Her knees buckled under the weight of her sorrow and she collapsed to the floor, sobbing.

 

Her heart was officially broken.


	4. Fallout Part One

**Chapter Four-Fallout Part 1**

**///////////////**

 

 

Bradley’s phone sounded as he was driving. He looked at the screen and smiled at the answer to the text he’d sent Stefani earlier.

 

_Why don’t we just cook? Can you stop and get something? Can’t wait 2 c little Lea. Love you._

Bradley detoured to a store where he knew he could pick up fresh-made pasta and fresh veggies and tons of other things.

 

An hour later, he pulled back into Stefani’s driveway and saw her waiting there on the porch. He climbed out and opened the back door to reach in and unbuckle his sleeping daughter. By then, Stefani was beside him reaching for the little girl.

 

He’d brought Lea on set many times and the child adored Stefani, and vice versa. The two had bonded quite well. She cradled the toddler while Bradley carried the grocery bags into her kitchen and began putting things in the fridge.

 

They went into the livingroom and while Stefani sat down with Lea snuggled against her chest, Bradley headed for her home office.

 

“I need to fax this press release,” he told her. “I’ll be right back.”

 

“We’ll be right here,” she said as she ran her fingers lightly through Lea’s soft blonde hair.

 

///////////////

 

They spent the next few hours talking and laughing and playing with Lea when she’d finally awakened from her nap. It was dark outside and the three of them were eating dinner when both of their phones began blowing up with texts.

 

Bradley picked his up and opened the messages.

 

_Dude, it’s all over social media and TMZ. Are you with Gaga?!?!?!~Leo_

_I knew this would happen. You’re with Stefani aren’t you?~Freddie_

_I told you, kid. Never ignore your gut.~Sam_

Bradley tossed his phone aside as Stefani turned on the television. While she read her messages.

 

_Did he dump her for you?~Natali_

_Girl, did you see that Coop and his baby mama are over?~Anthony_

_Honey, you and Bradley have a connection Go get him, baby.~Mom_

They watched as TMZ reported on Bradley and Irina’s split. They had the press release. She flipped to the other tabloid shows: Extra, ET, they all had it and they were all speculating that after their intimate performance at the Oscars they had become an item. There were allegations that over the course of filming and promoting the film that they had both been unfaithful to Irina and Christian respectively.

 

She and Bradley both sighed. “Just turn all this bullshit off.”

 

She flipped the television off and looked at him. A frown covered her face as he reached out and took her hand in his.

 

“Now begins the roller coaster ride,” he said. “I’m sorry about all this. I wish…”

 

“It’s not your fault,” she told him. “They’re just looking for a story. It’ll die down.”

 

Neither of them responded to any of their messages. They both decided to turn off their phones and instead sat down on the floor with Lea and played with her.

 

“I have a late-night appearance on Wednesday,” Stefani revealed. “Kimmel. He’s gonna ask about all this.”

 

Bradley nodded. “Yes, he is. What do you want to tell him?”

 

“What do you _want_ me to tell him?” she asked rather than answering his question.

 

He pulled Lea onto his lap, tickling her with one hand while he wrapped his other arm around Stefani and pulled her against him.

 

“How about you toss your appearance on Kimmel out, and we _both_ sit down with…Ellen,” he suggested. “I don’t want to hide us. I don’t want to lie about how we feel. I don’t want to pretend we aren’t together and…happy. We’ll answer the questions openly and honestly. I mean, if _you’re_ okay with…”

 

He was stopped by her lips crashing against his. They kissed gently until they both heard Lea giggle.

 

“Stefi kiss Dada,” she said with a smile so reminiscent of Bradley’s.

 

They both laughed.

 

“Yep, Stefi kissed me,” he said to his little toddler. “You’re gonna see that a lot, baby girl.”

 

Lea leapt from her father’s lap to Stefani’s. She reached out and touched her face, running her small fingers over Stefani’s features.

 

“Pwetty.”

 

Stefani smiled as she pushed Lea’s hair back from her face. “You’re very pretty, too.”

 

The couple played with Lea for the next hour before Stefani went to call her manager and ask him if he could arrange cancelling Kimmel and getting them a joint interview with Ellen for Wednesday. After hanging up the phone, she went in search of father and daughter.

 

She found them in one of the guest bathrooms; Lea taking a bath and Bradley’s t-shirt soaked.

 

“Who’s actually having the bath here?” she questioned playfully.

 

Bradley laughed as he whipped his soaked shirt off and then lifted the clean toddler from the bubbles and wrapped her in a soft towel. He carried her into Stefani’s bedroom where he’d put her things with his own. Then he gently combed the tangles from her hair before drying it.

 

She watched him with tears in her eyes as he then picked up his now very sleepy daughter and moved across the room to the rocking chair Stefani kept by the window. He sat down and cuddled Lea against his chest and softly hummed a lullaby to her as he rubbed her back.

 

“You’re such a good daddy,” she whispered to him.

 

He smiled with pride. He knew he wasn’t always the best son and his boyfriend skills seriously lacked sometimes, but he knew he was a good dad to his baby girl.

 

“Thank you,” he said to her. “Why don’t you go get ready for bed? She’ll be totally out by the time you get back.”

 

Stefani went into the bathroom to take care of her nighttime routine and when she was back, she saw that Bradley had stripped back the covers of her bed. He’d put Lea down; the child now sound asleep.

 

“I’m gonna go change,” he said. “Can you watch her?”

 

Stefani nodded, not missing the way his gaze swept over her body in her blood-red nightgown.

 

She climbed into the bed behind Lea. She loved just watching the little girl. She was a beautiful child; a good blend of her parents.

 

Bradley walked back into the room in sweats and still bare-chested. He smiled when he saw that Lea had turned over and was snuggled up against Stefani.

 

He climbed into bed behind Stefani and pressed his chest against her back and wrapped his arm across her and his daughter. Stefani tilted her head back and their lips connected in a deep kiss.

 

“You taste good,” she whispered.

 

He buried his face in her neck and inhaled. “You smell good.”

 

They both chuckled softly so as not to awaken the sleeping toddler. He watched as Lea nestled her little body even closer to Stefani, who held the girl so tenderly. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes.

 

“She adores you,” he said emotionally.

 

“I adore her,” Stefani returned. “She’s part of you, how could I not?”

 

“I love you,” he whispered. “So much. I should have told you so much sooner. You’re going to make a great mommy someday.”

 

Her breath hitched in her throat. She’d thought about kids before but had never truly considered having any of her own. She’d known her relationships with the men in her past hadn’t been strong enough to even remotely entertain the idea of kids. But lying in bed with Bradley and with his little girl in her arms, she let her mid drift to the possibility of someday having a child or two with him.

 

“I’d love to be a mommy someday,” she confessed softly.

 

She felt his arm tighten around her slightly. “When you decide you’re ready to be a mommy, you…you let me know and…and I’ll be ecstatic to help you with that.”

 

They shared another deep kiss, every emotion they were feeling poured into it. When they pulled back, Bradley pulled the covers over them and the three fell asleep wrapped up together.


End file.
